Julius Caesar: Act III, Scene 1
Caesar: Today is the 15th of March.
Soothsayer: Yes, Caesar, but it is not done yet.
Artemidorus: Hey Caesar, read this paper.
Decius: Trebonius wants you to read (whenever you are comfortable) his paper.
Artemidorus: Caesar, read mine first; mine is more important. Read it, great Caesar.
Caesar: I will read it later.
Artemidorus: Don’t wait, Caesar. Read it now.
Caesar: Is this guy crazy?
Publis: Out of my way, idiot.
Cassius: Why should I read these papers in the street? Let’s go to the Capitol.
CAESAR ENTERS THE CAPITOL, THE REST FOLLOWING
Popilius: I hope your plan to kill Caesar is successful.
Cassius (acting stupid): What plan?
Brutus: What did Popilius say?
Cassius: He said he hoped our plan is successful.
Brutus: Look, he is heading over to Caesar.
Cassius: Casca, hurry so no one can stop us. Brutus, what should we do? If anyone finds out, Caesar and I will
die together because I will kill myslf.
Brutus: Cassius, calm down. Popilius will not tell Caesar our plan. Look, he doesn’t give away he knows.
Cassius: Trebonius knows it’s time. Look, he is leaving with Antony.
ANTONY AND TREBONIUS EXIT
Decius: What is Metellus? Come and present Caesar with the crown.
Brutus: He’s ready. Go with him.
Cinna: Casca, you are the first to strike.
Caesar: Are we ready to start? What are we waiting for?
Metellus: Caesar, you’re kind and strong. I bow before you.
Caesar: Don’t bow before me, Cimber. Your flattery and humbleness may sway the hearts of ordinary men to
change their minds, but you are a fool to think that can sway the heart of noble Caesar. No matter what you do
or say, your brother is still banished. If you kneel and beg before me to have your brother released, I will push
you out of my way. I am doing no wrong by banishing your brother, and I will not grant him a pardon without
good reason.
Metellus: Who here is more qualified to ask for my brother’s pardon than I?
Brutus: I beg you, but not in flattery, allow Publius Cimber to be recalled from exile.
Caesar, You, too, Brutus?
Cassius: Excuse me, Caesar! Caesar, excuse me! I kneel before you to beg for Publius Cimber’s rights as a
citizen to be restored.
Caesar: If I was in your position, I would be begging as well. If I would change my mind, prayers would be the
reason. I am not going to change my mind. My decision to banish Publius Cimber is final. I cannot and shall
not change my mind. There is no equal to my determination even in the heavens. The heavens won’t change, so
here on Earth I won’t be moved either. The world is full of men, but out of all of them I am the only one who
cannot be swayed. Let me prove that I cannot be swayed by keeping Cimber banished. Let me show you my
determination that cannot be swayed.
Cinna: Caesar.
Caesar: Listen! I’ve already made up my mind.
Decius: But Caesar.
Caesar: Why are you begging?
Casca: Then we have no choice. Let’s do it.
THEY STAB CAESAR
Caesar: Even you, Brutus: I will go no longer.
CAESAR DIES
Cinna: We did it. Freedom, Caesar is dead. Spread the word!
Cassius: Someone go to the podium and tell everyone Caesar is dead.
Brutus: Don’t be scared. We have done you a favor.
Casca: Go to the podium, Brutus.
Decius: And Cassius can go, too.
Brutus: Where’s Publius?
Cinna: He’s over here, in shock at what happened.
Metellus: Stay together. What if one of Caesar’s friends tries to –
Brutus: Don’t worry about that, Publius. You did nothing wrong to yourself or anyone in Rome.
Cassius: Go away, Publius, in case the people decide to harm us.
Brutus: I agree. Don’t let anyone tell you that you did the wrong thing.
TREBONIUS ENTERS
Cassius: Where’s Antony?
Trebonius: All the people fled to their houses as if it was the end of the world.
Casca: Why: It’s better to die early than to spend many years worrying about death.
Brutus: We know it is our destiny to die, but it is not our time yet.
Brutus: We were once Caesar’s friends but have left him for dead. Since he’s dead, let us think and celebrate
the deed we have done. Then let us walk down to the marketplace and be proud of what we’ve done.
Cassius: Stop and think. How many more times will this important scene be repeated in other countries not yet
known?
Brutus: Now the body that lays on the base of Pompey’s statue is no more important than a speck of dust.
Cassius: How often will this be brought up about the men who brought freedom to their country.
Decius: Shall we go?
Cassius: Everyone should leave. Brutus will leave and everyone will follow, with our heads high.
ENTER SERVANT
Brutus: Who’s here? A servant of Mark Antony?
Servant: Hey, Brutus, did my master kneel before you? Just like Mark Antony fell and being bent down I
heard him say Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest. I love Brutus, and I love Caesar. But I feared him so
much that I respected him. If Brutus will allow, Antony may go to him and talk about why he killed Caesar. He
won’t like Brutus any more than he did Caesar but will listen to what Brutus has to say, thick and thin with all
respect. That’s what my master Mark Antony said.
Brutus: Antony is a wise roman and will start to see me as king once he sees that Caesar is dead. Go get
Antony and bring him here.
Servant: I will go get him immediately.
EXITS
Brutus: I know that he will be a good friend.
Cassius: I hope he will be. I’m still not sure about him, though. I’m suspicious and my suspicions are usually
right.
ENTER ANTONY
Brutus: Here’s Antony. Welcome, Mark Antony.
Antony: Oh, Caesar! What happened? I don’t know what you guys intend to do. Who else are you going to
kill? If you plan to kill me, I would be okay with that because I don’t want to live without Caesar.
Brutus: Antony, you have seen what we’ve done but not the reason. We had a good reason, Mark Antony. But
don’t worry. We will not kill you because you are a good man.
Cassius: Now you can help decide the new king since Caesar is gone.
Brutus: Wait until the matter is settled for us to tell you our reasons for killing Caesar.
Antony: I know you wouldn’t do this without reason, so give me your hands and let us shake. What should I
do now? My reputation is on the line. Will you now think of me as a coward or one of you?
Antony: I love Caesar. Looking down on me, you should not be mad at me for making peace with the people
who killed you, by shaking hands with your killers. Caesar is noble, but now I believe it would be smart to
become friends with your enemies. I apologize for shaking hands with the conspirators who killed you.
Cassius: Why are you grieving, Mark Antony?
Antony: Leave me alone and let me grieve over Caesar’s body.
Cassius: I don’t blame you for grieving over Caesar’s death, but, Antony, are you a threat to us or can we trust
you not to go behind our backs and tell?
Antony: I am with you guys. You guys can trust me, but I need a reason why you killed Caesar. Why?
Brutus: We have good reasons, Antony. You did everything for Caesar, and he repaid you with nothing. You
should be thankful.
Antony: All I’m asking for is to carry his casket and speak at his funeral as a friend.
Brutus: Yes, you may do that, Mark Antony.
CASSIUS PULLS BRUTUS ASIDE
Cassius: Brutus, can I speak with you? You shouldn’t agree with Antony speaking in his funeral. Do you
realize how much the people will liten and be moved by what he has to say?
Brutus: I will speak first about Caesar’s death. If Antony should speak out anything bad, I will deny and
declare against it. Caesar should have a good, true ceremony and it should benefit us more than harming us.
Cassius: I don’t know what might happen, but I don’t like it.
Brutus: Mark Antony, in your speech at the funeral you should not blame us but speak of all the good thigns
about Caesar. If you don’t do this, then you will not have a part in his funeral. You will give your speech after
mine.
Antony: I will. I desire no more than that.
Brutus: Prepare the body and then follow us.
THEY EXIT BUT ANTONY STAYS
Antony: I’m so sorry, Caesar! I was good to the men that did this to you! You were the best man that has ever
lived, and you are gone! Curse the one that did this to you! I promise you that I will make sure that they will
not get away with this! A curse shall fall on everyone and there will be war, and blood and destruction will be
common in Italy! Mothers will now smile when they see their babies cut into itty bitty pieces because it will be
nothing compared to what’s coming. Caesar, your spirit and the others from Hell will cry out and start a war
with no rest, and the smell of rotting flesh will rise up to the earth with men in so much pain that they would
much rather be buried!
ENTER OCTAVIUS’S SERVANT
Antony: Do you serve Octavius Caesar?
Servant: Yes, I serve him.
Antony: Caesar wrote to Octavius telling him to come to Rome.
Servant: Octavius got the letters and is coming. He also told me to tell you –
HE SEES CAESAR’S BODY
Servant: Oh, Caesar!
Antony: I can see that you’re really upset. It hurts me to see you cry and in pain. You can have a while to
calm down, but is Octavius coming?
Servant: Yes, he’s 21 miles from Rome.
Antony: Ride back quickly to Octavius and tell him what happened. Rome is not safe for Octavius yet. But
before you go, I need to go to the marketplace and see what is going on and let the people know what has
happened. And then you can go. Help me with his body.
THEY EXIT WITH CAESAR’S BODY